Student Experiences

While on an internship as a Social Impact Consultant in Peru, Joseph had the opportunity to hike the Inca Trail and capture this amazing photo with the peak of Machu Picchu in the background.

While on an internship with Uniterra in Peru, Cara had the opportunity to meet with local cocoa farmers to inform them about upcoming workshops and events offered through her placement organization. The workshops were to inform local farmers on ways to improve their quality and production.

While completing an internship at a social entrepreneurship organization in Madrid Spain, Aynsley had the opportunity to make a quick weekend trip to Seville. The photo above was taken at the famous Plaza de Espana.

While on an internship in Costa Rica, Isobel had the opportunity to participate in the San Jose Pride Parade.

While interning at a law firm in Dublin, Melissa was able to visit the beautiful Irish coast.

While interning as an Entrepreneurship Officer in Guatemala, Sydney had the unique opportunity to roast marshmallows over the hot volcanic rocks after hiking to the top of Volcan Pacaya.

Utibeabasi visited the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City while on her internship through Global Experiences. She was working with a non-profit organization that encourages women of colour to get more involved within the political sphere in the US.

As a Soft Skills Training Officer with Uniterra, Sarah had the opportunity to take part in a cultural exchange program with the Hue Tourism College and their partner college in Thailand. While there, Sarah learned both Thai and Vietnamese style dances with locals.

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[slideme title="Sahana, Global and International Studies, Academic Internship Council, India "]

BGInS student, Sahana, experienced the monsoon rains in Mumbai, India, while on an internship as a Legal Intern with the Academic Internship Council.

Katie visited the populated Tower Bridge while on her internship in London with Global Experiences. Katie interned with an organization supporting well-being and mental health services in London.

I had the unique privilege of satisfying my International Experience Requirement (IER) for my undergraduate degree via the International Internship Program offered through Career Services. As a Junior Project Intern for the International Development and Diplomacy Internship Program (IDDIP) at the United Nations Association of Canada (UNAC), I adored it and felt extremely well-supported. I can definitely say, without a doubt, that I would not change anything and would complete this experience all over again if I could! This experience has provided me with an opportunity to learn outside of the classroom and apply my knowledge and skills. I enhanced my time management, communication, and resiliency skills in the professional world – I am beyond grateful and humbled for this opportunity.

Hi Ravens! My name is Rachel and I participated in a 8-week virtual internship experience over the winter term! My virtual internship placement was with an NGO, Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC). This experience truly provided me with valuable transferrable skills for my future career and further academic endeavours. I am currently in my final year of Global and International Studies, specializing in Global Development. The opportunity to work with EPIC paired with my locational interests (the Caribbean), and my prior knowledge of sustainable development, made this a perfect fit for me. EPIC provided me with the opportunity to conduct research on Caribbean islands as well as support the organization in outreach. This was a chance for me to experience how NGO’s operate both on the ground as well as in a remote manner. At first, I was hesitant to complete my International Experience Requirement virtually however, after looking beyond the virtual approach, I truly had the opportunity to participate in a rewarding and engaging experience. The meaningful connections has enabled me to continue working with EPIC throughout the summer term. If any student is considering, I highly encourage a virtual internship experience!

Hi everyone! My name is Gosia and I participated in an 8-week virtual internship experience with YouMeWe, a Non-Profit Organization based in Japan. As an international student, I wanted to prioritize gaining work experience to add to my resume. Given the last two years and the Pandemic, I was aware of the challenges I may face in gaining meaningful work experience. The Virtual International Internship Program allowed me to extend my connections as well as gain experience in my career field of choice. This was a financially accessible option for me as I was able to complete a full academic course load as well as participate in the virtual internship experience. This internship has been a highlight of my year and one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had!

As a student who is always actively seeking experiential learning opportunities, the International Internship Program was the right fit for me! As I am nearing the completion of my undergraduate degree, I am still finding myself unsure of the specific area of Environmental Science I am interested in pursuing after graduation. The virtual internship experience was an opportunity for me to further explore the career fields offered in Environmental Science. My virtual internship placement is with Trade2Farm, an agricultural start-up based in Dublin, Ireland, which hopes to revolutionize the livestock trading industry by encouraging farmers to make more sustainable choices and giving consumers the ability to purchase products directly from farmers through a smartphone application. I never expected to find myself in the field of agriculture, but I am truly so grateful for this experience! I would highly encourage all undergraduate students to partake in this opportunity and gain experience in their career field prior to graduating.

Hey Ravens! My name is Rebecca Valade and I am heading into my 4th year of Cognitive Science with a concentration in the Biological Foundations of Cognition. This past fall term, I participated in the Virtual International Internship Program! I was partnered with Virtual Internships where I had the opportunity to virtually intern at GAOMA Therapeutics – a pharmaceutical lab located in Lyon, France! This internship was an extremely rewarding opportunity; I was able to apply the knowledge I gained from the courses I have taken throughout my studies and gain real-world work experience. My role and responsibilities were largely focused on researching a clinical 360° view on schizophrenia and depression in a pharmacological context. This was my favourite part of my internship experience as I always wanted to learn more about these neurological conditions.

I have learned so much about research in the neuroscience field and also had the opportunity to write a professional scientific paper which was a great advantage as a current undergraduate student. I never thought I would enjoy neuroscience research, but this internship helped discover my passion! I will forever cherish this experience and I would 100% recommend the International Internship Program to all students.

Participating in the International Internship Program this past summer term helped me immensely in building my resume and adding to my professional experiences. During my internship placement, I had the opportunity to work directly with the CEO of OakLabs, a German biotechnology company. In my role, I conducted research on biomarkers and ELISA assays working directly with my supervisor. Although my time with the company was exclusively virtual, I saw this as a bonus as I was operating off of bi-weekly check-ins and could do all the research I needed through the comfort of my home.

Through this program, I was able to not only improve my research and analytical skills, stack my resume, work under some of the world’s most brilliant minds, but also had the opportunity to network with numerous multinational companies and secure job offers for after I graduate from Carleton University. All in all, I would definitely recommend this experience and the International Internship Program to all students looking to further their career options.

Hi Ravens! My name is Emily and I participated in the Virtual Edition of the International Internship Program this summer term! I was partnered with Global Experiences where my host company was based in England. Heading into this virtual internship, I was hoping to gain work experience in professional writing and editing. My internship position gave me this and so much more! Part of my role, I conducted research, wrote and edited online articles and website content surrounding issues of online safety.

My colleagues were warm and welcoming and kept me involved in all aspects of marketing, social media and content production meetings. Through this, I was able to collaborate with and learn from individuals passionate about these areas. The connections and skills developed through this experience have propelled me forward and enriched my university experience. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity and would definitely recommend this program to anyone interested!

Hi, my name is Saphiya-inaara! This past fall, I was given the chance to complete my virtual international internship with the English Language Connections program. I was partnered with the Nation Ismaili Education Board of Afghanistan between September 2020 and June 2021.

I hadn’t expected to gain as much experience or knowledge working virtually within this internship, but so far, it’s completely proven me wrong. It’s given me more experience than any job I could’ve ever had.

Completing this internship has truly provided me the space to grow my skills in becoming more resourceful, concerning the use of technology, enhancing my time management, and furthering my leadership and public speaking skills. This internship virtually was a new experience and has allowed me the experience of diverse work atmosphere and unique situations. My work is very rewarding, and I continue to create better connections every class I teach! Taking the opportunity to complete an internship, whether it be virtual or not, is a great stepping stone for your future.

Hi there! My name is Jenna, and I am a third-year Law and Legal Studies student. During the fall of 2020, Carleton’s International Internship Program helped partner me with CRCC Asia, and I had the amazing opportunity to intern with a law firm based in Beijing, China.

I interned with Rouse, a Chinese-based intellectual property law consulting firm, and I worked in developing internal training materials to help promote the idea of being “professionally kind” in the workplace. I also assisted in researching different areas of intellectual property law, such as the new formats of e-commerce platforms in China and some of the challenges posed due to these new platforms.

I am so thankful that I decided to apply for Carleton’s International Internship Program. I would have never developed a passion for this kind of law without it. Since it was a virtual internship, I didn’t get the opportunity to travel to China and be emerged in the company’s operations. However, I still believe that I developed invaluable skills because of this internship. I learned the importance of time management, mainly due to the 12-hour time difference between my supervisor and me. I also learned flexibility, as it is an essential skill for both in-person work and remote work. I will forever cherish the connections I’ve made and the experiences I’ve had.

¡Hola! My name is Dana and I am a third year BGInS student. Summer 2020 created an opportunity for me to complete my International Experience Requirement (IER) virtually.

In the beginning, I was disappointed to have missed out on the travel experience and had some doubts that I would still have an impactful experience. By the end of my orientation week I had a notebook full of personal and professional skills!

The journey was one of great discovery; since day one, my cohorts and I learned about Peruvian culture and its history. We learned about design thinking and prototyping, but most of all I learned a lot about ourselves. One session in particular helped me understand the importance of setting expectations, how to set them in a healthy way, and how the mind uses memories to anticipate these expectations.

Finally, the connection I built with my mentors will last me a lifetime. I have plans to travel to Peru in the near future to visit them and hopefully work in their shadow towards socially and environmentally sustainable solutions.